JPH01106111A - Sequence monitoring method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To realize the simple monitor for the working of an equipment line by dividing plural optional work processes into blocks and setting a sequence pattern based on the order and the time intervals, etc., of the electrical signals obtained for each divided block. CONSTITUTION:For a work line including such work blocks having no mutual linkage as the coating, check and web take-up blocks, etc., the signals outputted to each block from a sequence controller 12 and the signals fed back from each block are supplied to a microcomputer 40 via an isolator 37 and an interface unit 38. Then the signal transfer timing is monitored separately for each block set optionally.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a sequence monitoring method for monitoring the operating status of manufacturing line equipment, etc.

[Conventional technology]

Automated manufacturing equipment is configured as a line equipment in which products and semi-finished products (workpieces) to be worked on are transported using belt conveyors, etc., and various operations are sequentially added during this transport process. There is.

In such line equipment, the transfer of workpieces and the various operations sequentially added during the transfer process are processed in accordance with a predetermined sequence. If an abnormality occurs in any part of the line equipment, the operation of the line equipment is immediately stopped to avoid major trouble.

For this reason, for example, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-62912, detectors such as limit switches are installed at several locations in the line equipment, and the electrical signals output from these detectors are transmitted to a sequence diagnostic device. It is used for electrical monitoring. The sequence diagnosis device evaluates the process in which work steps are completed in sequence based on the generation timing of the electrical signal output from the detector, and outputs a trigger signal such as an emergency stop signal when an abnormality is detected. When the trigger signal is output in this way, the operation of the line equipment is interrupted, and data is read out from the memory that sequentially stores the operation process of each part as binary data for failure analysis and is converted to a predetermined value. I am trying to print it out on a formatted data sheet.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the conventional sequence monitoring methods as described above, a trigger signal is not output unless an abnormality occurs in one of the line equipment and the sequence operation is stopped. First, it is impossible to detect a process in which the operation of each part gradually deteriorates, that is, an abnormal operation before a failure occurs.

Further, it is necessary to specify the reference data used for determining abnormality in operation to the sequence diagnosis device in advance, which makes calculation and input processing of the reference data extremely complicated.

Furthermore, if the timing of the sequence operation is changed due to a change in the type or size of the wire, the work of specifying the reference data must be redone, resulting in a lack of versatility. ing. Furthermore, with conventional sequence diagnostic equipment, the data output after a failure includes data from all working parts.
There was a drawback in that it was difficult to determine from this output data where and what kind of abnormality occurred.

The present invention has been made in view of the shortcomings of the prior art, and provides a highly versatile sequence monitoring method that allows the user to know when an abnormality is occurring even before the line equipment reaches a failure. The purpose is to

[Means for solving problems]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention combines a plurality of work blocks with different work contents, and when monitoring the operation of an equipment line configured such that these blocks are controlled by a sequence controller, a plurality of arbitrary blocks to be monitored are provided. Each of the work processes is divided into blocks, and the operation sequence of each block work process is monitored. For this reason, for any work block in which a plurality of electrical signals are output in time series among the work blocks, the plurality of electrical signals are extracted and stored via a sequence controller, and the stored electrical signals are A reference sequence pattern is set based on a one-hour interval, and when work is performed by the work block after this setting, the suitability of the work progress is determined by comparing the electrical signal output during work with the sequence pattern. It is designed to determine.

Note that "arbitrary" here means that the operator can freely register a signal any number of times, and a "work block" includes any number of signals that you want to monitor and has a similar operation pattern. It also includes a collection of signals from things.

[Effect]

According to the above configuration, professional users with different work
A standard pattern of sequence operation is automatically created for each shift, and based on this, sequence operation can be monitored for each set block. By monitoring the sequence operations for each work block, it becomes possible to sequentially monitor the sequence operations of each work block according to the appropriate judgment level, even before the entire line equipment comes to an emergency stop. .

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

〔Example〕

Figure 1 shows an example of a work line to which the method of the present invention is applied. In this work line, a liquid such as an emulsion is applied to the surface of a web, and the coated web is wound onto a core while inspecting the application state. The work is done by winding the material at a constant thickness. This work line consists of web supply block 2. Application block 3.
It consists of an inspection block 4 and a web winding replock 5.

The web supply block 2 includes a supply reel 8.on which the web 7 is wound. A supply roller 10 driven by a motor 9 is provided, and the web 7 is supplied by driving the motor 9 at a constant speed in response to an operation signal from a sequence controller 12.
is pulled out from the supply reel 8.

The coating block 3 includes a line sensor 11 that optically detects the presence or absence of the web 7 and its width. It consists of an applicator 14 that has a nozzle mechanism 13 that has a variable application width and is equipped with a solenoid valve that can be opened and closed freely.

The inspection block 4 includes a light projecting unit 15 and a light receiving unit 16 extending in the width direction of the web 7. It includes a puncher 17 and a drive roller 22 driven by a motor 20. The light projection unit 15 irradiates the surface of the web 7, which is being transported at a constant speed, with a narrow laser beam having a wavelength that does not affect the emulsion coated on the web 7 while scanning it in the width direction. The reflected light is received by the light receiving unit 16. The light receiving unit 16 detects an area where emulsion coating unevenness exists from the intensity of reflected light from the web 7, and outputs this to the sequence controller 12. Then, when the web 7 is transported a certain length, the puncher 17 is activated by a command signal from the sequence controller 12 to punch holes at the starting and ending positions of the detected uneven coating area. The thus perforated portions will be cut out as defective portions in the post-processing process. Note that in this inspection block 4 and the above-mentioned coating block 3, the web 7 is transported by drive rollers 21 and 22 driven by a common motor 20, and the transport speed is equal to that of the supply roller 1.
It is equal to the transport speed of the web 7 by 0.

The web winding block 5 has a cutter 24. motor 25
Winding core exchange mechanism 26. Roller 28 driven by motor 27. Contains Niplow'y-29. The core exchange mechanism 26 includes a core holding lever 31 that rotatably supports the cores 30a and 30b, and a thickness detector 32. The winding thickness detector 32 optically detects the surface position of the web 7 wound around the winding core 30a, and outputs a photoelectric signal when a certain winding thickness is reached. Nip roller 29
The lever 34 holding the lever 34 is rotationally controlled by a lever control unit 35 using, for example, a solenoid. In the illustrated pressing position, the nip roller 29 is urged toward the winding core 30a, presses against the surface of the wound web 7, and rotates the winding core 30a together with the web 7 in the winding direction. Further, when the lever control unit 35 is actuated by a command from the sequence controller 12, the lever 34 rotates clockwise, and the nip roller 29 moves to a retracted position away from the surface of the web 7.

The aforementioned web supply block 2. Application block 3, inspection block 4. The sequence controller 12, which receives signals from the web winding block 5 and also provides command signals to each of these blocks, includes an isolator 37. A microcomputer 40 is connected via an interface unit 38. The isolator 37 is configured as a signal transmission device using a photocoupler, for example, as shown in FIG. The terminal block 41 (FIG. 2) on the sequence controller 12 (FIG. 1) side and the terminal block 42 (FIG. 2) on the interface unit 38 (FIG. 1) side are connected to each other.
The function is to transmit signals from each block obtained through the microcomputer 40 to the microcomputer 40.

The microcomputer 40 has a CRT as an output device.
45. A printer 46 is connected, and a floppy drive unit 47 (hereinafter referred to as FD 47) is connected as an auxiliary storage device.

The microcomputer 40 sequentially and repeatedly scans the states of the signals input from each block through the interface unit 38, and monitors changes in the output. In order to increase the scanning and processing speed, for example, the timer board can be connected to a microcomputer 4.
Parts of the program added to the microcomputer 40 or used in the microcomputer 40 that require high-speed processing can be handled by using description in assembler language.

When the work line shown in FIG. 1 is started, the motors 9.20.27 of each block contributing to the transport of the web 7 are driven. As a result, the web 7 is transferred from the supply reel 8 to the application block 3. When the line sensor 11 detects the leading edge of the web 7 and its width, this detection signal is output to the sequence controller 12.

When the detection signal is input in this way, the sequence controller 12 gives a control signal to the nozzle mechanism 13 and sets it to a coating width corresponding to the width of the web 7, and after a certain period of time, that is, when the tip of the web 7 reaches the applicator 14. The nozzle of the applicator 14 is opened when the applicator reaches just below the nozzle. As a result, as the web 7 is transported, the emulsion is coated on the surface of the web 7 with a constant width and a constant thickness.

When the coated web 7 is transferred to the inspection block 4, the emulsion coating unevenness is photoelectrically detected by the light projecting unit 15 and the light receiving unit 16.

If coating unevenness exists on the surface of the web 7, the output of the light receiving unit 16 will fluctuate beyond a predetermined darkness value, and this
By converting it into a value, a defect signal as shown in FIG. 3 can be obtained. The rising edge of this defect signal corresponds to the starting point of coating unevenness, and the falling edge corresponds to its ending point. When such a defect signal is obtained, the sequence controller 12 stops driving the motor 20 when a preset time T0 based on the transport speed of the web 7 has elapsed. As a result, the transport of the web 7 is stopped when the detected starting point position is directly below the puncher 17.

When the motor 20 has stopped in this way and the stop has been confirmed,
The puncher 17 operates to punch a hole at the starting point of the uneven coating area.

Upon receiving the operation completion signal of the puncher 17, the sequence controller 12 drives the motor 20 again. and,
When the time TI corresponding to the width of the defect signal has elapsed from the time when the driving of the motor 20 was restarted, the driving of the motor 20 is stopped again. When it is confirmed that the motor 20 has stopped, the puncher 17 is operated again to punch a hole at the end position of the uneven coating area. When the drilling at this end point position is completed, the operation of the inspection block 4 that started from the time when the abnormality was detected by the light receiving unit 16 is completed, and the driving of the motor 20 is started.

The web 7 passing through the inspection block 4 reaches the web winding block 5. In the web winding block 5, the transported web 7 is wound around the winding core 30a. And core 3
The winding thickness of the web 7 wound around 0a is detected by the winding thickness detector 32.
When it is detected that a certain value has been reached, a winding thickness detection signal is obtained as shown in FIG. 4, and this is output to the sequence controller 12. The sequence controller 12 receives this winding thickness detection signal and stops driving the motor 27. After the motor 27 has stopped, the cutter 24 is activated to cut the web 7. When the sequence controller 12 receives the operation completion signal of the cutter 24, it operates the lever control unit 35, rotates the lever 34 counterclockwise by a certain angle, and holds the nip roller 29 at the retracted position.

After confirming that the lever control unit 35 is activated, that is, that the nip roller 29 has been moved to the retracted position, the sequence controller 12 outputs an activation signal to the core exchange mechanism 26. As a result, the motor 25 is driven by a certain amount of rotation, and the core holding lever 31 is rotated by exactly 180 degrees. As a result, the web 7 wound to a certain thickness is rolled onto the winding core 30.
The winding core 30b is retracted from the winding position together with the winding core 30b, and a new winding core 30b is set at the winding position.

When a new core 301) is set in this way, an operation end signal is output to the lever control unit 35, and the nip roller 29 is pressed against the new core 30b. and,
When the drive of the motor 27 is resumed, the web 7 transferred to the web winding block 5 is wound around the winding core 30b. The operation of the web winding block 5 is from the time when the winding thickness detection signal is obtained from the winding thickness detector 32 until the driving of the motor 27 is restarted, and during this period, the web winding reblock activation signal is is output. Note that the core 30a on which the web 7 has been wound to a constant thickness is removed from the core holding lever 31, and a new core is set in its place.

By the way, in the above-mentioned work line, for example, between the coating block 3 and the inspection block 4 or the web winding block 5,
Alternatively, there is no mutually related sequence control between the inspection block 4 and the web winding replock 5. In this way, in order to check whether a work line including work blocks that are not linked to each other is operating normally, a signal is output from the sequence controller 12 to each block, and a signal is sent back from each block to the sequence controller 12. The signal to be output is the isolator 3
7 and an interface unit 38 to the microcomputer 40 as well. The microcomputer 40 then monitors the timing at which signals are exchanged between the sequence controller 12 and each block separately for each arbitrarily set block, thereby checking whether or not the operation of the work line is normal. Determine.

The reference data for determining whether the sequential operation of each block is appropriate is provided by the microcomputer 40.
automatically sampled by For example, regarding the test block 4, while the test block activation signal (FIG. 3) is being output, the generation order and time interval of each signal shown in FIG. stored in the built-in memory.

This sampling of the reference data is performed according to a data sampling program on the microcomputer 40. For example, the reference data related to the operation sequence of the test block 4 is sampled every time the test block 4 is operated.
The sampled reference data is written into each address area. When these 10 data samplings are completed, based on the obtained reference data, the time from when a defect signal is obtained until the motor 20 stops, and the time from when the motor 20 stops until the puncher 17 operates The average of the time intervals between each signal, such as the time from when the puncher 17 is activated until the motor 20 is activated again, is calculated, and this average time is stored as a reference time.

Further, a standard deviation is calculated from the standard deviation of the time intervals detected by sampling ten times and is stored in memory. In addition, in the process of sampling 10 times, from the third time onwards, the sequence processing is also monitored in parallel with sampling for calculating the reference time and reference deviation.

Further, the order of each signal may be determined at the first sampling.

In this way, after the sequence operation order, reference time, and reference deviation in the inspection block 4 are stored as judgment criteria, the reference data obtained when the inspection block 4 is operated thereafter will be used as these judgment criteria. The results are compared and the suitability of the sequence operation is determined. Similarly, the microcomputer 40 automatically creates a reference motion pattern that serves as a criterion for the web winding block 5.

The average standard operation pattern created in this way is shown by the solid line in FIG. At T2, even if the puncher 17 operates at the timing indicated by the broken line, it will not be determined to be abnormal. However, when the standard deviation time from when the puncher 17 operates until the motor 20 is driven again is T3, the motor 20 is re-driven at the timing shown by the broken line after the puncher 17 performs punching at the end position. If so, it will be determined as abnormal. Note that the timing for stopping the motor 20 is accurately determined based on the transport speed of the web 7 and the detection timing of the defect signal.

There are five types of sequence operation monitoring modes by the microcomputer 40: emergency monitoring mode, order monitoring mode, time monitoring mode, order and time monitoring mode, and operation printing mode, which can be arbitrarily set for each work block. . In the emergency monitoring mode, abnormalities that prevent the scheduled function from being achieved, such as failure of the motor 20 to stop even though a defect signal is output in the above-mentioned inspection block 4, or failure of the puncher to occur before the motor 20 stops, are detected. Monitor for fatal abnormal conditions such as 17 activation. The criteria for determining such abnormal conditions are:
Each work block is stored in memory in the microcomputer 40 in advance, and when such an abnormal condition occurs, the operation of all work blocks is stopped and all signals from these work blocks are printed out as a time chart from the printer 46. be outed.

In the order monitoring mode, the order of signals output from the sequence controller 12 in time series is monitored. For example, if we take the operation of the web winding block 5 whose standard operation pattern is shown in FIG. to monitor. In the time monitoring mode, for example, the cutter 24. It is monitored whether the lever control unit 35 is activated within a time period of the respective reference deviations T3 and T4 after the motor 27 is stopped. Then, when these operating timings exceed the range of deviation 48a, an abnormality is detected. In this monitoring mode, the cutter 24 and the lever control block 35 may be operated before or after. In the order and time monitoring mode, it is monitored whether the operation of the cutter 24 and the lever control unit 35 are performed in this order and within a standard deviation time.

In the operation print mode, when various signals input to the microcomputer 40 change, the state and time of the signal change, as well as the type of signal from which work block the signal is from, are displayed on the screen. Printed out from page 46. Therefore, if you set this operation print mode when the work line is operating normally, you can check how the electrical signal changes during normal operation, and you can also check the progress of the part where an abnormality is occurring. It also becomes possible to obtain knowledge about the process.

Furthermore, when an abnormality is detected under each of the above-mentioned monitoring modes, what kind of abnormality (order and operation time) occurred in which signal in which work block is displayed on the CRT 45 and printed out on the printer 46. Ru. Furthermore, in the event of an abnormality, the FD 47 is activated, and the data before and after the abnormality is written to a floppy disk, which can be used for detailed analysis at a later date.

As described above, since a monitoring signal is further taken out from the sequence controller 12 that controls the sequence operation of the work line and inputted into the microcomputer 40 to monitor the sequence operation, the work line is maintained normally. It is possible to check the sequence operation at any time even when the system is operating normally, and it becomes possible to understand the progress of abnormalities from the stage before a failure occurs.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the sequence monitoring method of the present invention, any block that is desired to be monitored at the initial stage of actually operating the line equipment and that has the same pattern every cycle can be used as a monitoring standard. A sequence pattern is set, and thereafter the sequence operation is monitored for each block based on the sequence pattern set as described above. therefore,
When the above occurs in line equipment, it becomes possible to easily determine in which work block the abnormality has occurred.

In addition, since the sequence operation is monitored separately from the sequence controller that controls the sequence operation of line equipment, it is possible to monitor the line equipment at any time while it is running, and it is also possible to confirm that the line equipment is operating normally. You can take it.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a work line to which the method of the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing the configuration of the isolator. FIG. 3 is a time chart when the inspection block operates. FIG. 4 is a time chart when the web winding relock operates. 2... Web supply block 3... Coating block 4... Inspection block 5... Web winding block 7... Web 12... Sequence controller 14... Applicator 17... Puncher 26... Winding Core exchange mechanism 29, nip roller 32, winding thickness detector 35, lever control unit 40, microcomputer. Figure 2 Procedural Amendment 1. Display of the case 1986 Patent side No. 263236 2, Name of the invention Sequence monitoring method 3, Person making the amendment Relationship with the case Patent applicant address 210 Nakanuma, Minamiashigara City, Kanagawa Prefecture Name (520)
) Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. 4, Agent 2-25-1 Kita-Otsuka, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 170 (1) "Claims" column of the specification. 6. Contents of amendment (1) The "Scope of Claims" will be amended as shown in the attached sheet. (2) Correct "sequence controller" in lines 5-6 of page 5 of the specification to "sequence controller, etc." (3) Add the following after "...does not exist." on page 15, line 7 of the specification. "However, if the order or time of each signal changes significantly within the same block, create a block with signals whose order or time hardly differs within the block." (4) Specification, page 19, line 1 ~ In line 9, "For example, along with the above..." was corrected to "For example, when a CPU error occurs in the sequence controller 12, when a line emergency stop signal is received, etc. At this time," do. (5) "All signals are as time charts" on page 19, lines 10 to 11 of the specification, "All signals are as time charts for one minute before and after the abnormality (changeable)" I will correct it. (6) “It becomes possible” on page 20, line 19 of the specification,
[It becomes possible (if you execute the daily report mode, you can check the operating time and order immediately before the mode execution in the order monitoring mode and order and time monitoring mode). ” and correct it. (7) "There is an abnormality in the line equipment, etc." in lines 4 to 5 on page 22 of the specification will be corrected to "There is an abnormality in the line equipment, etc." (1) In line equipment, etc. that includes multiple work blocks with different work contents and whose operations are controlled by a sequence controller, etc., For any work block in which a plurality of electrical signals are output in time series, the order and time interval of these electrical signals are detected and stored via the sequence controller or the like, and the stored electrical signals are stored. A reference sequence pattern is set based on the order and time interval of the signals, and when the work block performs the work, the electrical signals output from the sequence controller etc. during the work are compared with the sequence pattern. A sequence monitoring method characterized by determining the suitability of work progress.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In line equipment that includes a plurality of work blocks with different work contents and whose operations are controlled by a sequence controller, a plurality of electrical signals are output in time series within the work blocks. Detect and store the order and time interval of these electrical signals for any work block that is stored through the sequence controller, and set a reference sequence pattern based on the stored order and time interval of the electrical signals. However, when work is subsequently performed by the work block, the suitability of the progress of the work is determined by comparing an electrical signal output from a sequence controller during the work with the sequence pattern.